Truck body ventilator



Aug. l1, 1931.` w. G. -MAYER VTRUCK BODY VENTILATOR Filed July 15, 192e INVENTOR wrrnessfs Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATI-:sj

WILLIAM e MAYER, .or I'rT'sBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Tanon iaonv vENTILAToIt Application led July .13,

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide means of the type referredto which are simple in construction and operation, inexpensive, readily installedin exist- Ing vehicles or in those under constructlon,

Vand which provide adjustably variable, eilicient introduction, circulation and withdrawal of air from closed compartments of automotive vehicles.

The adventof better roads automobile construction have combined to v 25 makecommercial transportation in that manner of increasingly great importance. Especially is this true inthe case of furniture and household effects. Large numbers of closed automobile trucks or vans are .now employed in hauling such articles over great distances,

in preference toj transportation b rail, and

` the number of trucks used for this purpose,

and consequently the amount of goods thus -moved, grows substantially each year.

`These trucks must, for economic reasons,

be packed to full capacity, and the necesa saryjs'tackin andclose fitting results ina l considerableoad being placed'on some articles. Mats1 made from coarse fabrics are 40 placed between the articles. l These vans must also be tightly closed to prevent damage to the load by rain or snow, or bydust. It is' well known that a closed, unventilatedspace of thistypelbecomes very hot when the conf 45 tainer thereof is exposed to the sun; and they also are heated from the end and underneath 'by the motor and exhaust. This heating causes the varnish or fnishof many articles of furniture to soften to a point where thel pressure of other goods forces the mats'i'nto 1928. /Serial No. 292,472.

the finish. The damage thus caused is frequently serious. f This spoiling of furniture haspresented a problem to those engaged in the automobile transportation business, because of the damage claims resulting, and because many people who would otherwise ship in this man-v ncr are for'this reason deterred from .doing so. The problem presented has been fully recognized, and attempts have been made to devise meansof maintaining the truck bodies cool enough to prevent this damage, But so far as I am aware, suchmeans-have not secured eiiectiv'e.ventilation and at the same time excluded dirt, dust, and rain.

Similar problems arise -in transporting perishable materials. For example, in the baking industry, where breadis packed and shipped while very fresh, it is absolutely es. sential to its quality that it shall not sweat. If heated in a closed space the frosting of cakes melts, etc. Such products ever more land improved than furniture must be protected from dirt, y

ra"n etc.

The present invention provides simple, ef fective means for overcoming the foregoing anch allied disadvantages which attend the use of closed compartment automotive vey hicles.

The invention isapplicable to all types of automotive vehicles provided with closed compartments, but its use is particularly advantageous in connection with trucks or vans. In the accompanying drawings Fig-1 illustrates a side view of a truck, part of` the -side wall being broken away, equlpped with the preferred' embodiment of .the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the intake duct shown in Fig. 1.

ylteferring to the drawings, there is conventionally represented an automobile truck provided with a closed load-receivin body portion 1, and a closed cab 2. The -ody shown is of a type commonly used, having a forward overhanging bulkhead 3, for recelving'small 95 articles, pictures, etc. Disposed between the bottom ofthe bulkhead and the top of the cab is an air intake conduit or duct 4, prefersy ably comprising la, broad, iiat, box-like metal structure, having `a port 5, open to the atmosphere forwardly of the windshield. A shutter (j, operated by a handle 7 disposed in the cab, permits adjustment of 4the opening to control the. amount ot air admitted to the duct. Au opening S, or series of openings, in the up- -per wall of duct 4, connects it with the bulkhead and the inside. of the body. A filter screen l5. Fig. 2, to remove dust and the like, may be disposed in either of these openings. (Eire is, ofcourse, laken not to use a screen so fine as to oll'er too nmch resistance to the air.

The exhausting means comprises one or more conduits, del ending upon the size of the body, 'disposed within the body and leading to the atmosphere. These preferably comprise pipes 9I disposed against the Walls of the body, and suitably spaced. They also preferably extend through the bottom, although they may pass to the sides or top, provided precaution against the entrance of rain 0r snow is taken. The outer ends of these con- 'duits are provided with means for creating a suction therein by the flow of air therepast when thevehicle is in motion. This means may assume a variety of forms, but for ease and simplicity of construction and because of the low cost, the type shown is preferred. This comprises cowled or obliquely truncate tunnels 10. attached at their smaller ends to the ends of pipes 9, the oblique, or open face bei ug faced to the rear of the vehicle.

vWhen the'vehicle is in motion, air enters duct 4 through opening 5, passes through opening 8 to the bulkhead and thence to the body. The air, `because of thepressure, is forced to circulate, and the articles loaded in y the body actas bullies, causing it to follow a tortuous path, schematically indicated by the arrowed lines. At the same time, the difference in pressure between the outside of con- 4 duits 9, and theinside, created by the rush of air past the funnels, scts'up a draft which pulls the air from the body, and continuously withdraws it. In this manner, air is forced to circulate around the articles com rising the load, and the temperature is kept elow that at which damage may occur. The draft will vary with the speed of the vehicle, but since this type of vehicle usually moves at relatively high speeds, the temperature will normally be below the danger point.

Fliese vehicles usually travel day and night, and at times it may not be desirable to open the cab windows. When several men are in the cab the air may become stuffy. A further feature of the invention is the pro vision of means for applying it to ventilation of the cab. To this end, an opening -11 is provided in the duet 4, which permits air to enter the cab, and a connection 12 is made to one or more of the conduits 9. This results in 'forced ventilation similar to that produced in the body. The o enin 11 may be provided with a shutter if esire.

,Truck body designs vary greatly and some have the bulkhead shown, and others not. It will be understood that the invention is fully applicable to all types of vehicle, and that the construction and disposition of the intake duct and its openings maybe varied. For example. in a truck not having abulkhead, the duct lnay be disposed in the upper side of the cab, and the opening 8 tothe body placed at its rear, to open directly into the body. All such changes and modifications necessary to ada-.pt the invention to different body designs are fully within the ability of artisans and require no extended description or illustration.

The invention provides means which de-` pend only upon the motion of the vehicle to render them eilective, to force air into`a closed compartment, and to create a suction for positively withdrawing `the air after circulation. The means provided by the invention is of simple construction, is cheap and readily installed. It does not add any appreciable weight, occupies Very little space,v

and is eli'ective as soon as' the vehicle begins bo.

to move.

I claim as my invention:

. l. -The combination with an automotive vehicle provided with separate closed body and cab compartments. of a conduit disposed forwardly of said body forintroducing air into said compartments, an exhaust conduit disposed within and leading from said body compartment and provided at its outer end with an exhaust funnel member turned rearwardly of the vehicle, and connections between said cab and said exhaust conduit,

whereby motion of the vehicle causes positive mosphere, and cowled funnels connected at i their small ends tothe outer ends of said exhaust conduits and having their obliquelyl open face normally disposed rearwardly, whereby to create a positive draft within the body by the flow of air past said funnels when the truck is in mot-ion.l

3. The combination set forth in claim 6, 'and dust1emovmg` screens disposed 1n the alr intake conduit at a ing into the body. y y

4. The combination with an automobile truck having separate closed cab andloadreceiving body compartments, of means oppoint forward of its openorative by motion of. the truckfor ventlating said' cab and body to cool the load, said means including ana-1r intake duct disposed above said cab and provided with an openin 5 to the atmosphere at the front of the truc and o nin to said cab and body, a shutter for a justa ly controlling the opening to the atmosphere, a plurality of vexhaust conduits dis osed vertically along the side walls of w sai bodyv and leading beneath the truck,

draftfcreatin hoods on the outer ends of said conduits, an connections between said cab and one of said conduits, whereby the rush of air during motion ofthe truck causes air to 15 enter said duct and creates a suction in said conduits, to positivel and continuously 'cir-l culate air through t e cab and body while the truck is in motion.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name. WILLIAM G. MAYER.'

Vao 

